


Welcome to Zootopia

by FredRomerond



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Gen, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-08
Updated: 2016-12-08
Packaged: 2018-09-07 07:42:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8789419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FredRomerond/pseuds/FredRomerond
Summary: In which Nick does not help Judy with the Night Howlers case and ends up stumbling upon her a bit later.





	

When Nick last saw her, she was running off to fight the system. She’d blackmailed him, then taken his witness statement and number before going to investigate a case her bosses knew she couldn’t solve without help. He was fine with that. Frankly she could use a little wake up call, and he didn’t give her another thought until now.

  
Now he spots a familiar rabbit slumped in the farthest corner of his favorite trashy bar. Her head is against the table, fur matted and stained, he wouldn’t have even recognized her had it not been for the orange vest and police uniform. Nick hesitates, he hadn’t thought to see her again.

  
He briefly wonders if she staked out his favorite bar to find him here, but then discards the idea. She’s very much absorbed in that table, hadn’t lifted her head to even glance around the room since he came in. The wolf barkeep, Mark something, catches his eye with a wave and gestures at the rabbit in the corner. Nick waves back and shrugs.

  
He considers leaving it be, but hell, he feels compelled. A few other patrons watch as he makes his way over, sliding into the seat across from her. She doesn’t react to him, and a cautious sniff lets him know she doesn’t smell like alcohol, which is good, probably.

  
“Rough day fluff?” He asks cautiously, ready to bolt in case she’s looking for someone to blame. The rabbit turns her head without lifting it to look at him, she makes eye contact and groans. Bloodshot eyes and as she exhales he can smell the alcohol, she didn’t strike him as much of a drinker. A quick glance over at Mark and he gets a thumbs up and a sly grin, probably an easy score for some pickpocket then.

  
“Of course, it’s you.” She slurs, resting her chin on her folded paws. Nick decides it would be best to evaluate his options.

  
“Here to rub it in?” He had considered it, when they had first met he would have loved to watch this little number crash and burn. She was a symbol then, an idea from his past, now she’s a person. Another victim of the system who can see it for what it is.

  
“You were right.” Then and there Nick realizes he doesn’t want to be right all the time.

  
“I thought- maybe- I just kept pushing and…” Nick flags Mark for two of his usual, this isn’t a situation he can handle without a little alcohol.

  
“What? Couldn’t tough it out to be a supervisor?” His comment is instinctual at this point, a snide remark disguised as a question meant to poke fun. He’s not prepared for her eyes to gloss over and tears start to well up.

  
“No hey, wait!” She glares at him and slides out of her seat, rushing out the exit. He follows her out into the darker streets of downtown, stopping on when he thinks he’s lost her. A moment passes before he hears her sobbing in the alleyway next to the bar.

  
“Listen…” He starts, looking for her, he doesn’t see her at first so he follows the sound.

  
“Leave me alone!” She yells when he spots her slumped next to the dumpster, slipped and cut her leg looks like. She sat against the dumpster sniveling.

  
“Here.” Nick tears a piece off her discarded vest and ties it around the cut, he’s no physician, but he knows she’s fine, it just hurts. He could always take her to Honey if it’s worse than he thought, she’d never turn down someone hurt.

  
“Dumb fox, why do you even care.” He finishes trying the makeshift bandage and turns away, trying to think, trying to figure out what the hell he’s even doing.

  
“It wasn’t supposed to be like this,” She murmurs, he huffs.

  
“I was going to be a police officer, help protect people who couldn’t help themselves.”

  
“It doesn’t work like that.” He says, and she frowns at him.

  
“I didn’t want to become a meter maid.”

  
“You think I wanted to become a popsicle hustler?” Nick can hardly believe he said that, but now that he’s started, the words just come pouring out.

  
“You think Finnick dreamed of dressing up every day in an elephant suit?!” The rabbit looks shocked, not just at his outburst.

  
“Every day people come to Zootopia with hopes and dreams, and every day those dreams are crushed! Just. Like. Yours.” He’d gotten in her face without realizing so he takes a step back and collects himself.

  
“We are what we are fluff. You accept your place or get pushed out.” He slumps against the wall and looks up at the city’s light pollution.

  
“When they look at me, they see a sly fox, and nothing I ever did changed that.” The rabbit sniffs, avoiding his gaze.

  
“Everyone sees you as a cute bunny. That will be a part of you for the rest of your life.” Nicks gotten himself into quite a mood, but he doesn’t care. They sit in silence for a bit, she eventually stops crying and Nick thanks whatever god’s may be that she can’t see his tortured expression. Eventually he gets tired of wondering how he ended up like this and stands up.

  
“Come on, it’s time for you to go home.” He helps her up, but she shakes her head.

  
“Want me to call a cab?” She shakes her head again.

  
“I lost my apartment, couldn’t afford rent without a job.”

  
“What about Bunnybarrow, trains run at all time of night-”

  
“My ticket was stolen. I have nothing left.” He swears and looks around. A part of him considers leaving her, but at this point he feels responsible somehow.

  
“Fine. I got a place.” She looks up at him and then away, suddenly bashful.

  
“N-no I couldn’t.”

  
“You got somewhere else to go?” Her silence speaks volumes as he helps support her for the walk ahead. They get about halfway down the road before she speaks again.

  
“It’s Judy, by the way, Judy Hopps.” Nick nods, they pass a group of vagrants huddled around a barrel fire for the Sahara chill.

  
“Nice to meet you Judy, welcome to Zootopia.”

**Author's Note:**

> I always wondered why there were no stories of Judy ending up a part of the criminal underworld or at least Nick’s hustling ring after failing to solve the Night Howler case. Always made sense to me… if anyone’s interested in using that as a prompt, go ahead. I probably won’t be adding more to this, hens the One-Shot.


End file.
